Range door construction



Sept. 29, 1964 G. FERLAND RANGE DOOR CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheer 1 Filed Feb. 19, 1962 INVENT OR Germain Ferlond I i L i ATTORNEYS p 1954 G. FERLAND RANGE DOOR CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Shae: 2

Filed Feb. 19, 1962 I so N1. I I INVENTOR Germain Ferland I00 W fi s4 ATTORNEYS O 4 O 6 O 2 4 8 2 3 8 2 7 I 3 IN Sept. 29, 1964 G. FERLAND RANGE DOOR CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Shae? 3 Filed Feb. 19, 1962 w (D Q INVENTOR Germain Ferlond United States Patent 3,150,658 RANGE DOOR CONSTRUCTION Germain Ferland, LAssomption, Quebec, Canada, assignor to Hupp Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Virginia Filed Feb. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 173,951 3 Claims. (Cl. 126-191) This invention relates to construction for detachably supporting an over door on the body of the oven. More particularly, the invention relates to a construction mounting an over door for movement from a closed position to a second position in which the door is partly opened for broiling and to a third position in which the door is fully opened, and so that it may be simply and quickly removed by lifting it off the oven when desired.

Prior removable oven doors have involved complicated mechanism which has been expensive to manufacture, adjust and repair. Moreover, taking off and replacing prior art doors has usually involved disconnecting a spring or a link or rendering a spring inoperative by inserting a pin, moving a lever, or manipulating the door in a specific manner. Typical structures of this type are shown in United States Patent Nos. 2,552,373 to Hardwick, 2,921,- 575 to Fry, and 2,934,059 to Baker.

The primary objects of this invention, therefore, include:

(1) The provision of a detachable oven door which is normally rigidly secured to the oven but which may be removed from the oven simply by lifting it ofl the oven and without disconnecting springs, removing pins, or otherwise removing or disconnecting portions of the structure to which the oven door is attached;

(2) The provision of improved detachable oven doors which are movable from a closed position in which spring tension holds the door against the oven frame to an open position where the door is held in a horizontal position at the bottom of the oven opening with suflicient rigidity to permit heavy objects to be placed on the door;

(3) The provision of improved detachable oven doors in which the hinge mechanism and the counterbalancing arrangement and all moving parts are enclosed within the door so the mechanism is not only protected from the heat (which increases the durability of the counterbalancing spring) but may be constructed as a bench or conveyor subassembly, thereby reducing manufacturing cost. This arrangement also facilitates repair and adjustment since such work can be done in a convenient place away from the range.

(4) The provision of improved detachable oven doors having a counterbalancing spring and very simple means to adjust the spring tension to compensate for variations in the tensions of difierent springs.

(5) The provision of improved detachable oven door constructions provided with a novel guide arrangement permitting the door to be readily and quickly replaced on the oven.

In carrying out these objects, the present invention provides a door support construction in which the entire hinging and counterbalancing mechanism is incorporated within the door except for a plate which projects through the lower part of the door lining toward the front of the range at each end of the door and which forms one leg of an oven door hinge. These plates cooperate with sockets formed in a pair of members mounted within the range body and with a pair of tension springs to hold the door in the closed position by its own weight. As will be explained, this arrangement also permits the door to be removed by merely lifting up on the door handle. The other leg of each hinge comprises a stiflener rail attached to the inside of the door liner and pivotally connected to the plate. A tension spring connects this stiffener rail to a link which is pivotally connected to the plate at a point offset from the connection of the plate and the stiffener rail and counterbalances the weight of the door. A pin, connected between the spring and the link, slides on the stifiener rail which has stops to limit the travel of the pin (and thus the movement of the door) and a depression which cooperates with the pin to hold the door ajar for broiling.

Additional objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a range incorporating a detachable oven door in accordance with the principles of the present invention with the oven door in the open position;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational View, partly in section, showing the oven door and one of the hinge mechanisms, the door being in the closed position;

FIGURE 3 is a view of the oven door and hinge mechanism taken substantially along the line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a view of the hinge mechanism taken substantially along the line 44 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 but showing the relative position of the parts with the oven door in the open position.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGURE 1 illustrates a range 20 employing a detachable oven door 22 constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. Range 20 which is of conventional construction, has a body 24, a base 26, a top 28 which mounts gas or electric surface heating units 30, a panel 32 on which the burner controls (not shown) may be mounted, a front 34, and an oven 36 with a vertical access opening 38 and a liner 40.

The oven door 22 is formed from an outer door panel 42 and an inner door panel 44 having overlapping flanges 46 and 48 (see FIGURE 2) which may be connected in any convenient manner. Inner door panel 44 is provided with an embossment 50 which engages the lining of oven 36 when door 22 is in the closed position. Door 22 may be moved between the closed position (indicated by dotted line A), the broil position where the door is slightly ajar (indicated by dotted line B), and the open position (shown in full lines) by the usual handle 52.

Door 22 is detachably mounted on range body 20 by a support construction which includes two hinge plates 54 (see FIGURES 2 and 5) which are carried by the door structure and which project through slots 56 in inner door panel 44 and through slots 58 in the stove front 34 into sockets 60 in the range body 20.

Referring now to FIGURES 2 through 5, a stiffening rail 62 of a hinge mechanism 64 is mounted on the interior side of inner door panel 44 by screws 66 which extend into brackets 68 rigidly attached to the panel. Though only one hinge mechanism 64 is shown in FIGURES 2 through 5, it is to be understood that two such mechanisms are employed, one at either side of the door 22, as is shown in FIGURE 1'.

Stiifening rails 62 are constructed with a hat-shaped cross-section and have a base 70, side walls 72 and 74, and flanges 76 and 78 which terminate above the lower end of the rail. Aligned detents 80 and 82 are provided in flanges 76 and 78 intermediate the upper and lower ends of rail 62 to hold the oven door in the broil position. As is best shown in FIGURE 2, the upper sides 84 of the detents 80 and 82 are steeply inclined and the lower sides 86 are gradually inclined.

Aligned notches 88 and 90 are provided in the side walls 72 and 74 adjacent the lower ends of flanges 76 and 78 to support door 22 in the open position.

A downwardly extending arm portion 92 of plate 54 is pivotally mounted between rail side walls 72 and 74 on a bushing 94 carried by a pin 96 extending through the rail side walls. Arm portion 92 is held against an annular shoulder 98 on bushing 94 by a lock washer 100.

As is best shown in FIGURE 3, hinge plate 54 extends toward oven front 34 through a rectangular slot 102 in the lower end of rail base 70 and through slot 56 in inner door liner 44.

A pin 104, carried by the plate 54 adjacent the intersection of its upper and forward edge surfaces 106 and 108, pivotally mounts a pair of elongated links 110 and 112 which are secured in place by snap rings 114.

Connecting links 110 and 112 extend through slot 102 in rail base 70 and then upwardly between rail side walls 72 and 74.

A pin 116, carried by the upper ends of connecting links 110 and 112, is adapted to slide along rail flanges 76 and 78. Pin 116 is held in place by snap rings 118.

A tension spring 120, which is provided to counterbalance the weight of door 22, terminates at its lower end in a hook portion 122 which is fastened over pin 116 between connecting links 110 and 112. The upper end of spring 120 is reduced in diameter and surrounds an enlarged loop 124 in the lower end of a wire link 126. The upper end of wire link 126 terminates in a hook 128 which is hooked into one of a series of longitudinally spaced holes 130 formed in a tab 132 bent inwardly from base 70 of rail 62.

Spring 120 tends to move stop pin 116 upwardly with respect to rail 62. To limit this upward movement, a stop 134 is fastened in rail 62 just above the detents 80 and 82. Stop 134 has a base 136, side walls 138 and 140 against which pin 116 abuts, and outwardly extending flanges 142 and 144 which maintain pin 116 in its proper position adjacent flanges 76 and 78.

A semicircular lug 146 extends upwardly from the upper edge surface 106 of hinge plate 54 adjacent edge surface 148. A second semicircular lug 150 extends downwardly from lower edge surface 152 of plate 54 intermediate edge surfaces 108 and 148.

The hinge support 154 which is best illustrated in FIGURES 2, 4, and is an important feature of this invention. It comprises a thick, rectangular spacer plate 156 rigidly secured between a pair of angle plates 158 and 160 by welding or by heavy bolts. The flanges 162 and 164 of angle plates 158 and 160 are attached by bolts 166 to the inside of stove front 34 with spacer plate 156 aligned with slot 58.

As is shown in FIGURE 5, the length of spacer plate 156 and angle plates 158 and 160 greatly exceeds the width of hinge plate 54. Further, the angle plates are bolted to the stove front 34 adjacent their upper and lower ends which effectively resists turning moments generated by the heavy oven door. This construction, while simple, is extremely strong and rigid and allows the oven door to be used to support heavy objects without damage to the hinge mechanism.

Although only one hinge support 154 is illustrated in FIGURES 2, 4 and 5, it is to be understood that there is a support 154 for each of the two hinge mechanisms 64 and that one of these supports is aligned with each of the two slots 58 in stove front 34 (see FIGURE 1).

Referring again to FIGURE 2, a substantially rectangular, forwardly open recess 168 in spacer plate 156 cooperates with the juxtaposed surfaces of angle plates 158 and 160 to define the socket 60. Socket 60 is adapted to receive hinge plate 54 and is somewhat wider and deeper than the plate. A semicircular notch 170 in spacer plate 156 is adapted to receive the depending semicircular projection 150 on hinge plate 54.

As is shown in FIGURE 2, the relative dimensions of hinge plate 54 and socket 60 are such that when hinge plate 54 is secured in socket 60, forward edge 148 of hinge plate 54 abuts the inner end 172 of socket 60. Also, when hinge plate 54 is secured in socket 60, the bottom edge surface 152 of plate 54 abuts the bottom wall 174 of socket 69, the top of the projection 146 on hinge plate 54 abuts the top wall 176 of socket 60, and hinge plate projection 150 engages the surface of recess 170. The front portion 178 of the top wall 176 of socket 60 is sloped upwardly. This allows hinge plate 54 to be moved to the position shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 2 so that door 22 may be removed from the oven. In addition, the angled upper wall facilitates the replacement of door 22 on the oven by making it easier to insert hinge plate 54 into the open end of socket 60.

When the door 22 is mounted in place on range 20, its weight will hold hinge plate 54 in the position shown in full lines in FIGURE 2. When it is desired to remove door 22 from range 20, it is opened slightly so that embossment 50 is free of oven front 34. Then door 22 is lifted by pulling upwardly on handle 52. This will cause hinge plate 54 to rotate about lug 146 until the plate assumes the position shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 2 in which projection 150 is above recess 170. Plate 54 may then be withdrawn from socket 60, allowing door 22 to be lifted off the range.

When it is desired to replace door 22, it is held in a vertical position adjacent stove front 34. Hinge plates 54 are then aligned with slots 58 in stove front 34 and inserted through these slots into sockets 60. The door 22 is then pushed inwardly until the edges 148 of plates 54 abut the inner ends 172 of sockets 60 and lowered until the depending projections 150 on plates 54 are seated in recesses 17 0.

When door 22 is opened, pin 116 slides downwardly on flanges 76 and 78 of rail 62 because of the toggle action of hinge plate 54 and connecting links and 112. The tension spring is adjusted by inserting hook 128 of link 126 in the proper hole 136 in tab 132 so that when door 22 is nearly closed, the spring will urge it toward its closed position. If properly adjusted, door 22, when nearly open, will, by its weight, overcome the tension of spring 120. The door may, therefore, be held open with only a slight force and may be easily moved from one position to another. When the door 22 is opened to a horizontal position, pin 116 rests in notches 88 and 90,

F bracing the door against further downward movement (see FIGURE 5 When the door is moved slightly ajar to the broil position (shown by broken line B in FIGURE 1), pin 116 drops into detents 86 and 82. The force exerted by spring 120 holds pin 116 against the steep upper sides 84 of the detents. Pin 116, in this position, prevents spring 120 from closing door 22. However, slight additional pressure on door handle 52 will cause pin 116 to ride up the steep sides 84 of detents 80 and 82 and will allow spring 120 to close the door. The shallow sides 86 of detents 8t) and 82 allow pin 116 to ride easily out of the detents when door 22 is moved downwardly to the open position.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In combination an oven having a vertical wall, means forming an access opening in said wall, a door assembly for selectively opening and closing said access opening and means for mounting said door on said Wall, said mounting means comprising means defining a socket in said wall, a hinge member adapted to be removably carried in said socket, means forming cooperating fixed recess and detent formations on said hinge member and said socket, said formations being engaged by the weight of said door for normally preventing removal of said hinge member from said socket, said hinge member and said socket being so dimensioned as to permit disengagement of said detent from said recess and removal of said hinge member from said socket by raising said hinge member with respect to said socket, means mounting said hinge member adjacent the lower edge of said door assembly for pivotal movement about a first axis, a spring extending essentially vertically in said door and being connected at one end to the interior of said door adjacent the upper portion thereof, a link mounted on said hinge member for pivotal movement about an axis spaced from said first axis, said link extending away from said hinge member upwardly and into said door, means connecting the lower end of said spring to said link within said door whereby when said door is opened by movement thereof about said first axis said spring is extended to counterbalance the weight of said door, and detent means positioned within said door for selectively holding said door in predetermined relation to said hinge member independently of the weight of said door to dispose said door in slightly open position and to permit said door to be raised to disengage and remove said hinge member from said socket.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said detent means comprises a pin carried by said link and a bracket carried in fixed position within said door, said bracket having spaced detent surfaces for engagement by said pin when said door reaches its fully opened position and when said door reaches its slightly open posi tion.

3. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said recess and detent formations comprise a pair of oppositely directed projections on, and in the plane of, said hinge member and a recess in said socket adapted to receive one of said projections, said one projection being held in said recess by the weight of said door, the other of said projections providing a pivot for said hinge member, said hinge member and said socket being so dimensioned that the hinge member may be rotated about the pivot provided by said other projection to disengage said one projection from said recess to permit removal of said hinge member from said socket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,780,219 Polluck Feb. 5, 1957 2,823,662 Aylor Feb. 18, 1958 2,866,225 Ward Dec. 30, 1958 2,990,570 Gilpatrick July 4, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 562,796 Belgium Dec. 14, 1957 

1. IN COMBINATION AN OVEN HAVING A VERTICAL WALL, MEANS FORMING AN ACCESS OPENING IN SAID WALL, A DOOR ASSEMBLY FOR SELECTIVELY OPENING AND CLOSING SAID ACCESS OPENING AND MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID DOOR ON SAID WALL, SAID MOUNTING MEANS COMPRISING MEANS DEFINING A SOCKET IN SAID WALL, A HINGE MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE REMOVABLY CARRIED IN SAID SOCKET, MEANS FORMING COOPERATING FIXED RECESS AND DETENT FORMATIONS ON SAID HINGE MEMBER AND SAID SOCKET, SAID FORMATIONS BEING ENGAGED BY THE WEIGHT OF SAID DOOR FOR NORMALLY PREVENTING REMOVAL OF SAID HINGE MEMBER FROM SAID SOCKET, SAID HINGE MENBER AND SAID SOCKET BEING SO DIMENSIONED AS TO PERMIT DISENGAGEMENT OF SAID DETENT FROM SAID RECESS AND REMOVAL OF SAID HINGE MEMBER FROM SAID SOCKET BY RAISING SAID HINGE MEMBER WITH RESPECT TO SAID SOCKET, MEANS MOUNTING SAID HINGE MEMBER ADJACENT THE LOWER EDGE OF SAID DOOR ASSEMBLY FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT A FIRST AXIS, A SPRING EXTENDING ESSENTIALLY VERTICALLY IN SAID DOOR AND BEING CONNECTED AT ONE END TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID DOOR ADJACENT THE UPPER PORTION THEREOF, A LINK MOUNTED ON SAID HINGE MEMBER FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT AN AXIS SPACED FROM SAID FIRST AXIS, SAID LINK EXTENDING AWAY FROM SAID HINGE MEMBER UPWARDLY AND INTO SAID DOOR, MEANS CONNECTING THE LOWER END OF SAID SPRING TO SAID LINK WITHIN SAID DOOR WHEREBY WHEN SAID DOOR IS OPENED BY MOVEMENT THEREOF ABOUT SAID FIRST AXIS SAID SPRING IS EXTENDED TO COUNTERBALANCE THE WEIGHT OF SAID DOOR, AND DETENT MEANS POSITIONED WITHIN SAID DOOR FOR SELECTIVELY HOLDING SAID DOOR IN PREDETERMINED RELATION TO SAID HINGE MEMBER INDEPENDENTLY OF THE WEIGHT OF SAID DOOR TO DISPOSE SAID DOOR IN SLIGHTLY OPEN POSITION AND TO PERMIT SAID DOOR TO BE RAISED TO DISENGAGE AND REMOVE SAID HINGE MEMBER FROM SAID SOCKET. 